Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: ID2 on January 22, 2018, 12:42:51 PM
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Hi All
I just wanted to ask a quick question about my platy who’s tail is quite sharply bent upwards. I noticed this yesterday. Does anybody know what this is and what I can do to treat it?
All my water readings are fine at 0ppm except Nitrate which is currently at 5ppm but I am working on this.
I have 4 platy in just under 60L tank.
The history is probably what has caused this, I won’t deny it. Due to personal circumstances the water condition hasn’t been maintained as it should. But now I’m getting back on track. The bent tail is only very recent though, like I said I noticed it yesterday. I understand the water condition is likely what has caused it and i’m gutted it has got to this point, but looking forward I was wondering if there is anything I can do to treat this?
Thanks in advance :)
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Are there any other symptoms? Is your platy still eating and active? Is it looking thinner than normal?
Any chance you could post a picture?
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She (pretty sure it’s a female) can’t seem to swim properly while heading toward the surface or down to the floor, I’m assuming this is a symptom due to the tail rather than a separate symptom. Otherwise she seems fine, active and eating. She doesn’t seem thinner to me.
I will try and post a picture if I can figure out how.
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I will try and post a picture if I can figure out how.
Under the reply box you'll see Attachments and other options. Click on this to get the browse box. Note that there is a size restriction listed, check the size of your photo - if it's too big you'll need to resize it.
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I'm not sure how to tell what size my photo is but I'll give it a go now, thank you
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I tried posting a picture twice last night but they don’t seem to have posted? Is it because I am doing it from my phone?
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The photos are probably too big... can you crop them to just show the fish in question?
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Try this go to choose file to find where photo is on your pc and then click upload. then use the size drop down menu and alter it 600 pix wide after that go to the quality one and use best on the drop down menu.
If you used a mobile to take the photo you may have to rotate left on the drop down menu that says rotation.
then click resize right click on photo and save to desktop and then upload from there.
http://picasion.com/resize-image/
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Hopefully the picture has posted
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Thanks for the pics.
I've not seen this sort of thing before.
Perhaps some of the more experienced keepers will be able to offer advice.
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I have not seen anything like it before either. I know one cause of a bent spine is genetic, usually in very inbred fish - it it commonly reported in guppies for example.
But you do mention the history of the fish being a possible cause - poor water conditions can also cause problems, unfortunately.
You mentioned in the first post that your nitrate is 5 - this level of nitrate is fine. It only becomes a problem above 20 ppm. It's ammonia and nitrite that should be zero.
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I have actually seen quite a few instances of these "special fish" in LFSs. On the basis of previous (and now current) experience of fish being unable to reach food, I try to incorporate as wide a variety of food (surface, semi-sinking, sinking food - dried, veg and live/frozen) as possible to ensure that the afflicted fish is able to get something.
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Thanks for your replies :)
So there’s nothing I can really do about the tail, apart from keeping an eye on the fish and making sure she is able to eat? There still doesn’t seem to be any other symptoms but I will keep checking.
Sue - Regarding the Nitrate ppm, I’m glad you said that it’s ok below 20ppm as I cannot shift the last 5ppm? Any idea why?
Thanks all :)
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The only way to remove nitrate is by water changes unless the tank looks more like an underwater jungle than a fish tank. And the lowest you can get nitrate with water changes is the same as the level in your tap water. We do not have any nitrate eating bacteria in fish tanks.
When the tank is planted like a jungle, the plants should be enough to remove every last trace of nitrate but most of us are not that heavily planted or we'd never see our fish.
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I have been doing water changes, but I don’t have any real plants in my tank. I will just keep doing the water changes.
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I think floating plants are meant to be particularly good at reducing nitrates. They are an acquired taste to some though...
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Regular water changes - around 50% a week - should be done routinely. They will keep the nitrate level at or slightly above the level in the tap water. Unless your tap water has zero nitrate your tank will not have zero nitrate.